New data suggests coronavirus infections in England are steadily falling.
Office For National Statistics data shows around 133,000 people on average were carrying the virus over a two week period.
The ONS estimates that 0.24% of people not in care homes, hospitals or other institutional settings in England tested positive for Covid-19 from 11 May to 24 May 2020.
The 133,000 figure is down from the 137,000 (0.25%) estimated between May 4 and May 17 and the 148,000 (0.27%) estimated between April 27 and May 10.
This estimate is based on tests performed on 18,913 people in 8,799 households.
Data shows infections within the community population, such as private households, and it excludes those in hospitals, care homes or other institutional settings.
The ONS says the latest data shows "a similar level to the previous estimate indicating that the number of people with COVID-19 is relatively stable".
They added: "Patient-facing healthcare workers and resident-facing social care workers show higher rates of positive tests than people not working in these roles.
"Individuals working outside the home show higher rates of positive tests than those who work from home.
"While those who have symptoms are more likely to test positive than those without symptoms, out of those within our study who have ever tested positive for COVID-19, 21% reported any symptoms on the day of testing."
The figures also suggest there have been an average of 54,000 new infections per week for people living in private households in England since April 26.
This is a similar level to the previous estimate and suggests that the number of new infections is "relatively stable".
In real terms, this amounts to roughly 0.10 new cases per 100 people per week.
The ONS found that, based on blood test results from 885 individuals since April 26, around 6.78% tested positive for antibodies to Covid-19. This is the equivalent of around one in 15 people.
It it continues to find no evidence of differences in the proportions of men or women testing positive for Covid-19.
But in this latest data set, there is a small overlap between the 20 to 49-year-old age group and the 50 to 69 years age group.
This provides some evidence that the 20 to 49-year-olds in the community may have a slightly higher rate of positive testing than 50 to 69-year-olds.
"When comparing the estimated number of people in England that had COVID-19 in this publication against the results published in the previous publication, it should be noted that the change is relatively small and it should be interpreted that the number of people in England that have COVID-19 is relatively stable," added the researchers.
The figures do not include people staying in hospital or care homes, where rates of infection are likely to be higher.
Of those in the study who work in patient-facing healthcare or resident-facing social care roles, 1.73% tested positive. This includes NHS professionals, such as nurses and doctors, as well as social care workers, such as nursing home or home care workers.
An estimated 0.71% of people of individuals who reported working outside of the home tested positive, compared with 0.23% who are working at home.
People taking part in the study were asked whether they had experienced a range of possible symptoms on the day that they were tested.
Over the course of the study period, 2.62% of people who experienced one or more symptoms of coronavirus also tested positive.
By comparison 0.35% of people who experienced one or more symptoms of at the time of the test also tested positive.
The percentage of people testing positive was higher for those who reported having a cough or fever, or loss of taste or smell on the day of testing than it was for any symptoms in general.
Of those reporting these specific symptoms, 6.74% also tested positive for the virus.
This compares with an estimate of 0.38% of those who did not have a cough or fever, or loss of taste or smell.
As for the R rate, the average number of secondary infections produced by one infected person, the latest estimate, as of May 22, was 0.7.
An R number of one means that on average every person who is infected will infect one other person, meaning the total number of new infections is stable.
If R is two, on average, each infected person infects two more people.
If R is 0.5 then on average for each two infected people, there will be only one new infection. If R is greater than one the epidemic is generally seen to be growing, if R is less than one the epidemic is shrinking.
The analysis was produced by the ONS in partnership with the University of Oxford, the University of Manchester, Public Health England and Wellcome Trust.
